Read Online The Spell Realm by Dima Zales, Anna Zaires - Free Book Online Page A

Barson, this was yet another failure of the Sorcery Revolution. In the old days, when rightful kings ruled, everybody knew their place, and there was a certain comfort in that. In the modern era, however, the illusion of upward mobility bred discontent among lower and upper classes alike, fostering unnecessary unrest in the Koldun society.
    It was a situation Barson planned to remedy when he was king.
    “So,” he said quietly, looking around the room at the people who were going to help him achieve that goal, “it appears that we might be able to implement our plan earlier than expected, thanks to some recent developments. Where does each of you stand on the assignments Dara asked you to complete?”
    And for the next twenty minutes, he listened as they filled him in on spells that they had prepared, each one of them eager to impress him with their knowledge and skill. Barson nodded and praised them, giving them the approval they so clearly craved, and all the while his mind was going over strategies for the upcoming battle. It would not be easy, but he was confident that they would succeed. They had to succeed.
    As the meeting was wrapping up, Barson instructed his allies to keep a close eye on Ganir and the general happenings in the Tower. “If the old man so much as sneezes, I want to know about it,” he told them, and they promised to keep him informed.
    Satisfied, Barson left the Guard barracks, pulling the hood up around his head again. As soon as the Council had a chance to complete their vote, he would go talk to Augusta.
    He couldn’t wait to see her again.

Chapter 11: Blaise
     
    “What is it?” Ara asked, seeing what must have been an alert expression on Blaise’s face.
    “I am not sure,” Blaise replied. “I heard an animal of some kind. It was growling.”
    “What kind of animal?”
    Blaise listened closer. He didn’t hear a growl again, but now he heard something heavy moving through the forest. “I think there is more than one creature.”
    She frowned, looking disturbed.
    “They must be quite large,” Blaise said, closing his eyes to better focus on his hearing. “I can hear their footsteps. It almost seems like they’re trying to tread lightly, but their bulk hits branches and bushes, giving them away.”
    Opening his eyes, he saw the girl standing there, her face pale. “We need to wake the others,” she said urgently.
    “What is it?”
    “I don’t know, but if it’s anything from the Dark Woods, we need to prepare immediately.”
    They hurried back toward the tents, approaching Kostya first. As soon as Ara explained the situation, he ordered all the rest to be woken up. Only Maya, Esther, and Gala were allowed to sleep uninterrupted.
    “How far away would you say were the noises you heard?” Kostya asked Blaise, his voice tense.
    Blaise thought about it. “About half a mile away, I think.”
    “What? There is no way you can hear that far,” Shram said derisively. “Are you sure you didn’t fall asleep and dream the whole thing?”
    “We were both awake,” Ara said sharply, looking at Shram with annoyance. “And he could hear that far because he did a spell to enhance his hearing. And be glad that he did. If there is even the slightest possibility that there is something from the Dark Woods here, this close to the village . . .”
    The other men nodded. “She’s right,” a blond man said. “We have to check this out, and if it’s a threat, deal with it.”
    “You don’t have to come, Blaise,” Kostya said, apparently reaching a decision. “This might be dangerous.”
    “I want to come,” Blaise said. “But we should leave someone behind to guard that tent.” He pointed at where Gala and the old women were sleeping.
    “Yes, and we need to make sure someone can warn the village, should something go wrong with our hunt,” Ara added.
    “Then it’s settled,” Kostya said, ordering four of his men to stay behind. The rest gathered their weapons and quietly